A One-of-a-Kind Family

“Yes, but it’s not polite.” She looked at Liam, who was frowning. So, what had she done now? Working with Colm was so satisfying. His brother? Not so much. More like a pain in her proverbial…

“It looks good, bud,” he said to Colm. His genuine pleasure over his brother’s successes robbed her of her annoyance.

Anna smiled at Colm. “Well, I’ll leave you two to dinner. Now, Colm, when you’re done, you help with the dishes, too.”

“And wash the wall,” Colm said.

“Yes,” she agreed, “and wash the wall. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”

“No, Anna!” Colm yelled, stopping Anna in her tracks.

“Inside voice,” she reminded him gently. “Is there a problem, Colm?”

He nodded. “Yeah, you helped make the food, you get to eat it.”

She glanced at Liam who was actively scowling at the thought. “No, you made the dinner for your brother,” she tried.

“And you,” he repeated stubbornly.

“No, sweetie. My job is helping you learn things, things that will make your life and your family’s life better. Tonight, we cooked, and you need to share that with your family—with your brother.”

“And you,” he insisted. “You had a snack with me first time I made it.”

Anna didn’t know how to get around that, so she looked at Liam, silently asking him for some help.

“Maybe Anna’s got a date,” Liam said.

Colm chortled. “Nah, she ain’t gotta date.”

Ouch. She didn’t have a date, but still—ouch.

“I think I should be insulted,” she said, quietly. And Liam quite unexpectedly laughed. Not a forced laugh either. This was the first real sign that Liam Franklin had a mood other than guarded or grouchy.

As he chuckled, Anna saw another side of the gruff man. A softer side. A side she’d glimpsed when he hugged Colm in the past, but this time it was directed at her, and it was sweet.

“If you don’t have a date, Anna,” he said her name as if it was still foreign to his lips, “we’d be happy to have you share Colm’s first official solo meal.”

Part of Anna wanted to lie and make up some excuse why she needed to leave, but instead, she nodded. “I’d love to. Though you know what this means, Colm?You need to set another place at the table.”

He broke out in a grin. “Another place for Anna. Got it.”

He ran across the kitchen, grabbed a plate and started to run back when Anna called out, “Walk, Colm. We don’t want you to fall and get hurt.”

“Or break the plate. But if I broke it, it’d be okay, ’cause we’d clean it up, right, Anna?”

He was so attentive, remembering her comments and instructions. “Right, Colm.”

When he’d set the plate on the table, he ran and got one butter knife and slowly walked toward the table.

“Uh, why don’t we sit down?” Liam suggested. “It looks as if this may take a while.”

He pulled out one of the chairs from the small kitchen table.

Anna was surprised by the act of chivalry. She’d never been a woman who insisted on such things. She was more than capable of pulling out her own chair or opening a door. But she didn’t find having a guy do them offensive, either. She simply hadn’t expected such a gesture from Liam Franklin. Wasn’t she still the enemy?

She took the seat and as Liam gently nudged her chair into the table, his hand brushed against her back. There was no bolt of lightning but there was suddenly an awareness for Anna. She’d only ever seen Liam as a—well, a barrier. Yet here, now, as he took his seat and smiled as Colm carefully set a place for her at the table, she again saw the man who cared deeply about his brother.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome.”

They sat in silence until it became uncomfortable, but were saved when Colm finished and took his seat. “So let’s eat!”

He dished some pasta onto his plate enthusiastically and passed the bowl to Anna, who took some and passed it to Liam. The salad and rolls went around in a similar fashion. Anna found herself waiting for Liam to take his first bite. He smiled and said, “Very good, Colm.”

“Yeah, it is.” Colm’s mouth was full of food, so his words were a bit difficult to understand, but his smile wasn’t.

That smile was what made Anna’s job so rewarding. There was a pride in it that showed Colm’s growing realization that he could, as Sunrise promised, lead an exceptional life. That’s what she wanted for Colm Franklin—an exceptional life.

After they’d finished eating, Colm announced, “I’m done,” and made for the door.

“Uh-uh, Colm,” Anna called. “You cooked, so you get to help clean up.”

“Oh.” A moment later, he brightened. “Okay, Anna. I can do that.”

“First we clear the table. The leftovers go in a container in the fridge and…”

She didn’t expect Liam to stay and help, and when he did, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. He kept giving her odd looks, and she had even less understanding of what they were about.

“Kitchen’s done,” Colm said loudly half an hour later. “I’m gonna go watch TV. I think my Wizard show is on Disney. Anna, you wanna watch it with me?”

She glanced at Liam who was frowning. “I should probably be leaving, Colm.”

“Not yet, Anna,” Colm said. “You could stay longer, ’cause you have no date, remember?”

She expected Liam to agree that it was time for her to go home. She was sure he’d be polite. He’d make some noise about how he was sure she had something else to do. But what he said was, “Maybe we could all play a game? If you have the time, Anna.” He seemed to say her name with more ease.

Colm grabbed her hand. “Yeah, Anna, that’d be good. We can play a game.”

Anna smiled. “Maybe a hand of Go Fish?”

“I don’t know that one,” Colm said.

“If you can find some cards, I can teach you.” She’d barely got the words out when Colm shot down the hallway toward the living room.

“Are you sure Colm can handle a card game?” Liam asked.

“Liam, he can count and read a lot of words. It might take him a while to get the feel for the game, but he’ll do fine.”

And he did. Within a couple of hands, Colm had the idea and was holding his own.

“Go fish!” he shouted gleefully.

Anna did and on Colm’s next turn, he put all his cards down. “I got ’em. You gave me that five and I got it.”

“Great job, Colm.” She glanced at her watch. “But now, I really need to get home. I have an early day tomorrow.”

“You have an early day here tomorrow?” Colm asked.

“No. We talked about this, remember? We marked the calendar in the kitchen. I’m back the day after tomorrow.”

Colm threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “Okay. I’ll miss you, Anna, ’cause you teach me lots of stuff, like making spaghetti and puttin’stuff in the fridge after we’re done eatin’. You teach me good.”

“I taught you—”

He interrupted. “Yep, you did.”

Liam was smiling—again. Anna thought she could easily get used to seeing that expression on his face. He said, “Get your shower and put your pajamas on, bud. I’ll show Anna out.”

“Okay. ’Night, Anna.” Colm hugged her again.

She mussed his hair. “’Night, Colm.”

She knew from Liam’s tone that he wanted to talk to her, so she waited until Colm disappeared up the stairs and said, “Yes?”

He didn’t look annoyed, but if not, she wasn’t sure what he wanted to talk about.

He simply said, “Thank you.”

“For…?”

“For everything. You were right. Colm is capable of so much more than I ever imagined.”

His admission surprised and touched her. “You’re welcome.”

“Anna, I have to go out of town on Thursday. I know that three days is short notice, but it’s only one night, and I wondered if you’d found someone to stay with Colm?”

Anna had put off confirming someone. She wasn’t sure why, but had a sneaking suspicion that it was because she didn’t want to share the Franklin brothers with anyone else. “If you don’t mind, maybe I’ll stay with him? I mean, it’s one night, and it would give us more time to work together. I see so much potential in Colm, and there doesn’t seem to be enough time in my day to try as much as I would like to with him.”

Liam didn’t offer his opinion about her staying with Colm. Instead, he said, “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“You can, but I don’t promise to answer.” She smiled, hoping to soften her response. Liam was so much more approachable tonight that she didn’t want to jinx it.

“Why?” was all he asked.

“Huh?”

“Why do you do what you do? I can’t imagine the money is fantastic. And it seems that the hours are long. So, why do you work for Sunrise?”

That was a question that Anna not only didn’t mind answering, but relished sharing. Maybe Liam would understand her goals for Colm better if she did.

“I had a client. Denny. He was starting his first job at a local plant where he would be packing boxes. It wasn’t only him. I worked with the supervisor, as well. I explained that I’d help Denny get the rhythm of the job down, and stressed that he should do well with the status quo, but that for out-of-the-ordinary things he would require someone to help him. I like being sure that a client’s boss has realistic expectations. Two months after I’d gone, Denny’s supervisor called and told me that they’d hired a new person and that when the woman had made a mistake on the assembly, Denny had gone over and helped her. He said that Denny had told her that everyone makes mistakes. That she should take her time and ask for help when she needed it. The supervisor was so impressed. He wanted to employ more people from our program.”

“Those were your words that Denny said, weren’t they? I recognize them from Colm. If you make a mistake, it’s like the milk—you clean it up and start over. Things like that.”

“Yes.” She knew she could be somewhat repetitious with her catch phrases, but her clients needed to hear them over and over until they fully understood them. “And to answer your question, that’s why I do it. There are so many special people out there. They might take longer to learn something, or they might need to learn a bit differently than most folks, but with some assistance and time, they can lead remarkable lives. And if I can help that along, well, it means something to me. My job is important to people and that’s why I do it.”

Even as the words left her mouth, Anna wished she’d said something…well, something less. She felt naked. Exposed. And, Liam Franklin was the last person she wanted to feel like this with.

She wasn’t sure why and she wasn’t about to explore the reason. “I really should go now. Thanks for allowing me to share Colm’s first meal.”

“About Thursday,” Liam said before she could bolt out the door. “Yes. I knew you’d suggest someone reliable, but I’d have worried. I trust you with Colm. It’s a big meeting, and I appreciate you saving me the worry. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll be here on Wednesday and you can give me the specifics of your trip then.”

“I’ll see you day after tomorrow, then.”

“Wednesday,” she agreed, then rushed out. Admittedly, an annoyed Liam Franklin seemed much easier to deal with than this insightful one.

Anna wasn’t sure why.

CHAPTER THREE

“OKAY, Li, what gives?” Patrick Yu asked breathlessly on Friday night as Liam got out of his car.

His neighbor pushed his walker at NASCAR-worthy speed toward Liam. Meanwhile, Liam was pulling his suitcase from the backseat, anxious to get in the house, a sense of…he wasn’t sure how to define it. Anticipation? Excitement?

He’d talked to Colm on the phone last night, and his brother had seemed fine. More than fine. He’d been excited that Anna was spending a night. “It’s like a sleepover, Liam. I never had one of those before, but you used to. Now, it’s my turn. Me and Anna are gonna make s’mores, but I don’t know what those are, still we’re going to make ’em.”

Patrick waved a hand in front of Liam’s face. “Earth calling Liam.”

Liam gave himself a mental shake. “Sorry. How are things, Patrick?”

“Fine. I was asking about the new woman? Actually, I asked what gives, and by that I meant, tell me about your new woman. I’m old and live vicariously through your exploits, which I have to confess, are very few and far between.” The elderly man ran his hand through his very thick gray hair, leaving it looking as if the barber had modeled his style after Einstein’s.

“She’s not my woman,” Liam assured his neighbor. “Even if she was, I can’t imagine Anna would want to be referred to as my woman.”

Patrick chuckled. “Probably not, but I’d never use the term in front of her. I might be old, but I’m not dumb. Women don’t take kindly to being called women. I heard some don’t even like being referred to as ladies? I’m guessing gals and broads are off-limit terms, as well. Me, I stick to people when women are about. It saves a lot of hassles. But she’s not here, so tell me who is she if she’s not your new woman? Her car’s in your driveway a lot lately. And I couldn’t help but notice it was here all night.”

“Her name’s Anna Chapel, she’s with The Sunrise Foundation and she’s helping out with Colm. She spent the night here with him while I was in Jackson, Tennessee, for a meeting with a prospective client.” He lifted his carry-on bag to emphasize he hadn’t been home last night with Anna.

Patrick nodded his approval. “Glad to see you’ve got some smarts, boy. Now, Mrs. Taylor is a fine woman, but a man your age needs to hire someone younger and easier on the eyes. This girl seems like she’ll do.”

“It’s not like that, Patrick. Anna is here for Colm.”

“Then you better see about making it like that. Girls like her don’t stay on the shelf for long. And a man your age needs a woman. Believe me, if I had it to do over again, I’d have snagged me a woman a decade or two ago. A man can only sow wild oats for so long, and one day he finds he hasn’t sowed enough, so there’s no harvest and that gets a mite lonely.”

Liam ignored Patrick’s comments. “I don’t even know if she’s dating someone.” Hell, he’d never asked Anna any questions about her personal life. Maybe she was married?

He’d never seen a wedding ring, but not everyone wore one. The thought of Anna with a boyfriend or a husband was…Well, it didn’t bother him, of course. But if she did have a significant other, then she’d been pretty neglectful, what with all the time she’d spent with Colm and him. He wouldn’t like to feel as if he and Colm were to blame if Anna’s relationship went south.

“You’d better find out if she’s dating. I came out to say thanks for mowing my lawn the other day.”

Liam nodded. “You know it’s not a problem.” Patrick was well beyond an age he should be doing things like that, and it only took Liam twenty minutes to do the elderly man’s lawn, too. “That’s what neighbors are for.”

“You’re a nice boy. Now show me you’re a smart one and try to land that cute girl.” Patrick started back toward his house. “Anna. That’s a nice solid name. From Hannah. It means gracious.”

Patrick had a Jeopardy-worthy knowledge of obscure facts, and Liam didn’t doubt his accuracy in pegging the origin of Anna’s name. “And my name? What does Liam mean?”

Patrick turned around and raked his hand through his hair, making it stand further on end. Einstein on a very bad hair day. “It’s Gaelic, boy. A form of William. It means warrior. Your brother’s name is Gaelic, too. It means dove…gentle. I think your mother knew what she was doing when she named you both. Be a warrior, fight for the girl.”

“I don’t have much time for girls, what with work and Colm, but thanks, Patrick.”

“Happy to give you an opinion any time, boy. Not that you listen to me.”

No one but Patrick ever referred to him as a boy anymore. To be honest, Liam was hard-pressed to remember a time he’d felt boyish. For as long as he could remember he’d had responsibilities, and he’d had even more since his parents had died.

He opened the door to the sound of laughter that immediately made him forget about responsibility.

“Come on, Anna,” Colm said in the living room. “Knock-knock.”

“Who’s there?” he heard Anna ask.

“Colm, silly.”

Anna burst out laughing. It wasn’t some fake titter, but a belly laugh that said she really did find his brother amusing.

“Come on, Anna. Your turn. I think I’m winnin’ so far.”

“Okay, last one. Hey, Colm, knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Banana.”

“Banana who?”

“Banana Anna, now time for pajamas.”

This time Colm was laughing, and Anna joined in. It was a wonderful sound to come home to.

“Hey, knock, knock,” Liam called by way of a greeting.

“Liam,” Colm screamed and a split second later came barreling into the living room archway. “You’re home.” He threw himself at Liam. It was apparent that Colm trusted Liam to catch him, and Liam vowed, not for the first time, that he always would.

Colm let him go as abruptly as he’d hugged him. “You bring me somethin’?”

“Maybe.”

Colm laughed. “You always bring me something. Come on. Where is it?”

“How about you go put on your pajamas, like Anna said, and I’ll find it.”

“Okey-dokey.” He let go of Liam and ran up the stairs at full speed.

“Walk on the stairs, Colm,” Anna called.

Colm slowed, but it was barely perceptible.

“So, how was your trip?” She started to get up off the couch.

“Please, don’t go yet,” Liam said. Anna sank back down and he sat across from her. It was nice to have someone ask about his trip. He’d never thought about it, but it had been a long time since someone had. “To answer your question, the trip was great. An unqualified success. It’s a big account.”

Jackson Tech’s business would keep his small computer security company in the black for a while.

“Congratulations, Liam. I’m so happy for you.”

“And how were things here?”

“Fantastic. Colm did his own laundry.” She smiled as if remembering something that pleased her. “Now, when you see how it’s folded, don’t belittle it. It’s not perfect, but a few wrinkles aren’t a very high price for the sense of pride he took in the job. He’s not quite ready to take over on his own, but he did a good job. If you don’t mind taking the time, you should have him help from now on.”

Liam felt a surge of guilt at the thought of what Colm had learned and accomplished in the short time he’d been in Anna’s company. “I should have worked more with him. I should have pushed Mom to let him try new things. But she was always afraid he’d get hurt, and after a while…Well, I never thought about it. Colm was Colm. And what he did or didn’t do was part of him.”

“Liam, we’ve had this discussion before.” Anna leaned forward, placing her hands on the coffee table and sending her curls tumbling over her shoulders, as if by getting close enough, she could somehow drive her point home. “You’ve done a wonderful job with your brother. Colm is well-adjusted and happy. He couldn’t learn or accomplish any of these things if he weren’t.”

“I never knew—”

“And I don’t know a thing about computers, and yet you do all sorts of amazing things with them. I find the tangle of machines and monitors up in your office intimidating to look at. You’re a good caring man, Liam Franklin. You came to Sunrise for help, you’ve let me work with Colm. You love him, you care for him. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Nothing.”

She looked so sincere. Wanting him to believe that she was willing to fight for him just as she always seemed so willing to fight for Colm.

Liam had a sudden urge to lean over the coffee table in order to close the distance between them…and kiss her. The urge caught him totally unaware. It wasn’t that he hadn’t noticed that Anna was attractive. Oh, maybe it had taken him a moment or two to notice, but that smile and laugh—he couldn’t shake them. And he’d quickly learned to appreciate that she was good at her job—good with his brother. But wanting to kiss her?

The urge was a surprise, and one he wasn’t planning to indulge in. Instead, he simply placed his hand on top of one of hers. She didn’t pull away, but turned her hand so they were palm to palm. She gave his hand a squeeze, and for a long moment, they both sat silently like that.

Finally, Liam sat back, breaking the connection. “Thanks.” His voice felt rough as it maneuvered through his tangle of emotions.

“Anytime.” She started to stand. “I should be going.”

“Hey, Anna,” Colm called from the top of the stairs. “Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?” she called back, not bothering to remind him about inside voices.

“Pajama.” They could hear him thundering down the stairs.

“Pajama who?” Anna called.

Colm burst into the living room. “Pajamas are on Colm, that’s who.”

“I think there’s a chance he’s missed the point,” Liam whispered, even though he was laughing as hard as Colm was.

“The point is having fun, so I think he’s got it right,” Anna whispered back.

“Hey, Anna, wanna play a game of Go Fish?” Colm asked.

“Maybe another time, Colm. Your brother’s probably tired. I bet he wants some peace and quiet.”

“Nah, Liam’ll play, right, Liam?” Very seriously, he turned to Anna. “He’s like a superhero and can do anythin’.”

What could he say to that look of utter confidence that Colm shot him. “Sure, Colm. That is, if Anna hasn’t had enough of us yet.”

She gave him a look he couldn’t quite read. She slowly answered, “No. I’m not tired of the two of you yet.”

“Not never,” Colm said. “Anna, she likes me. ’Course, I don’t know if she likes you,” he teased.

“I like both Franklin brothers,” she said diplomatically.

“Nah, she likes me more, ’cause you’re a grump,” Colm teased. “Anna likes me the best.”

Liam knew Colm wanted him to argue about who Anna liked most as another kind of game, but he didn’t because that urge to kiss her hadn’t completely disappeared, despite his attempts at quashing it.

They all sat down to play Go Fish, and as he watched Colm, he realized that his brother had never been this happy. Sure, he’d been content. Cared for. Cosseted. But since Anna had come into their lives, Colm had really been growing by experiencing new things. He’d been happy in a way he’d never been before.

“Go fish,” Colm screamed.

“Inside voice, Colm,” Anna said softly.

“Sure, Anna. I forgot. But you know it’s okay to forget,” he instructed Liam. “Anna says, that’s why we got friends to remind us. And after a while we won’t forget no more. Inside voice inside. Yep, one day soon I’ll remember that on my own.”

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